and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> woodruff: the presidential campaign's focus turned to foreign policy-- at least for a day-- as mitt romney sought to capitalize on new momentum. in a major speech, he challenged president obama's handling of a host of trouble spots. i know the president hopes for a safer, freer and more prosperous middle east allied with us. i hope this hope but hope is not a strategy. >> woodruff: with that mitt romney took aim at foreign policy today in a speech at virginia military institute in lexington, virginia. >> when we look at the middle east today, with iran closer than ever to nuclear weapons capability with the conflict in syria threatening to destabilize the region and with violent extremists on the march and with an american ambassador and three others dead likely at the hands of al qaeda affiliates it's clear that the risk of conflict in the region is higher now than when the president took office. >> woodruff: that last point involved the assault on the u.s. consulate in